mischief
mischief Lexical Profile
mischief Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Playful misbehavior or troublemaking, especially by children or pets, that causes minor annoyance rather than serious harm.
"The teacher kept a close eye on the students to make sure they did not get into any mischief during recess."
A playful, teasing, or roguish quality, often expressed in a person's eyes, smile, or manner.
"Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she hid the birthday present behind her back."
Harm, trouble, or damage caused by a specific person, force, or action, including in law the willful destruction or interference with property.
"Spreading unverified rumors can do a great deal of mischief to a colleague's professional reputation."
A collective group of rats or mice.
"The wildlife sanctuary houses a lively mischief of rescued fancy rats in a multi-level enclosure."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'meschief' (meaning 'misfortune' or 'bad outcome'), formed from the prefix 'mes-' ('badly') and the verb 'chever' ('to come to a head or end', derived from Latin 'caput', meaning 'head'). Originally denoting serious harm or distress, the word softened over the centuries to refer primarily to playful misbehavior.